Mail-transferring device.



D. L. CALAHAN.

MAIL TRANSFERRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION EILED JULY 29.1916.

1 ,v%%7 63@. Patented Nov. 27, 191?.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY DELONA L. CALAI-IAN, OF FAIRFAX, WASHINGTON.

MAIL-TBANSFEBRING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov, 2?, IWN.

Application filed July 29, 1916. Serial No. 112,068.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DELONA L. CALAHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfax, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Transferring Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail transferring devices, havinglfor its primary object to generally simplify and improve devices of this character.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cooperating means upon a car and a mechanism beside the track for automatically transferring bags from the car means to the stationary mechanism, and from the latter mechanism to the car carried means. without'possibility of the bags or other mail receptacles becoming lost or dropped during transfer, without danger of the said receptacles becoming torn, out or subjected to severe shocks or strains during transfer, and without danger of the receptacles becoming engaged with the ground.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is of simple construction, which is composed of but few simple and readily assembled parts, all so constructed and arranged as to prevent wear, breakage or derangement of the same, which can not become disordered, which is positive and automatic in operation, and which will prove thoroughly efiicient in the attainment of the ends for which it is designed.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The inventlon will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein The figure is a perspective View of a portion of a mail car, and illustrating the same in the act of transferring mail pouches through the medium of a mechanism embodying my invention.

Referring now more particularlyto the drawings, the car is shown as being equipped with a mail pouch supporting device in the form of an arm 5, the same being pivoted as at 6 upon the car so as to be capable of swinging vertically thereon. A leaf spring 7 is provided in connection with the arm to normally force the latter at its outer end in an upward direction.

Arranged beside the track and adapted for cooperation with the arm 5 in transferring mail receptacles is a mechanism for mit the arm 5 carried by the car whenswung j to horizontal position to pass beneaththe same. As shown in the drawings, this bar 8 is of considerable length, and is provided at its extremities with depending hook portions 9. Posts 10 are arranged adjacent the track to support the pole or bar 8, the said posts having arms 11 projecting from the upper portions thereof and to the extremities of which the bar 8 is secured. The arm 5 upon the car is provided with a depressed portion or crook 12, adapted to lie directly beneath and to travel parallel with the bar 8 when the said arm is swung to horizontal position.

Disposed between the arms 11 projecting from the supporting posts 10 adjacent the ends of the bar 8 is an arm trip on actuating rod 13. This rod may be formed of metal and is inclined or curved downwardly intermediate its ends to lie in the path traversed by the extremity of the arm 5 when the latter is in horizontal position. As the train passes the bar 8, the arm 5 carried by the car passes beneath the said bar and engages with the downwardly projected portions of the arm-actuating rod 13, and is depressed against the tension of the spring 7 Obviously, the spring 7 operates-to move the arm 5 back to normal horizontal position upon disengagement of the arm end from the actuating rod 13.

Associated with the above described mechanisms for facilitating the transfer of mail pouches are bag supporters 14. These supporters may each comprise a standard 15, to the lower end of which is secured intermediate its ends, a bar 16, the said bar f0rming oppositely disposed bag supporting arms or portions as shown. Leaf springs 17 oooperate With the ends of the bar 16 to de-.

tachably hold the rings 18 of a conventional form of mail pouch 19 upon the said bar ends.

The upper end of the standard 15 is bent to form a hook 20, the said hook having an enlargement 21 at its extremity to prevent lateral swinging or twisting of the standard when resting by means of the hook 20 upon the bar 8. This enlargement maintains the standard in a posit-ion such as will dispose the: bar 16 and bag 19 held thereby in the direction assumed by the train when traveling. The stem or standard for each bag supporter is provided below its upper and with a; pair of oppositely disposed relatively short arched arms 22, the said arms being disposed in the same general direction as the bar 16 Springs 23 are secured to the standaid 15 remote from the arms 22, and yieldably engage at their free ends with the corresponding extremities of the arms 22. The springs 23 may be readily moved inwardly toward the standard 15, and may be held thereon by a ring 24 loosely mounted upon the said standard when desired.

From this description, it is apparent that a standard 15 when supported upon the horizontally disposed arm 5 with the rearmost of its arched arms 22 resting in the depression 12of the said arm, the hook portion 20 of the standard will be al'ined with the rod or bar 8 supported beside the track. The distance between the point of engagement with the crooked portion 12 of the arm 5 with the arched arm 22 on the standard and the uppermost portion of the hook 20 is slightly greater than the distance between the said depressed or crooked portion and the bar 8, whereby the hook portion 20' will be permitted to pass over the bar 8 without engaging the same. Then the arm 5, however, engages the actuating rod 13, the arm is depressed whereupon the hooked portion 20 engages with the bar 8, and the bar 5 passes from beneath the arched arm 22. The bag supporter is thus deposited upon the bar 8, and by its momentum slides to the end thereof and onto the hook 9. The bag is" thus maintained in proper position out of engagement with the ground, and is prevented from violent shocks or jars during the transfer. The spring 23 upon the standard 15 is, during the above operation, maintained in engagement with the said standard by the ring 24, as illustrated in the drawings. The bar 8 may be of sufficient length to permit of the bag supporters sliding thereon and gradually stopping before contacting with the abrupt hook portion 9.

In transferring bags from the stationary support or bar 8 to the moving car, the bags are secured to the supporters through their rings 18 as will be readily understood. The hook 20 of the standard is then engaged over the bar 8 adjacent the rear end thereof. The

' free end of the arched arm 22. As the arm 5 approaches, (and after the same has been relieved of its bag in the above described manner) the spring 23 is contacted and forced rearwardly by the impact of the said arm. The bag supporter is at once engaged within the depressed portion 12 of the catcher arm 5 and is carried thereby. The railway mail clerk may then detach the support and bag from the arm.

It is obvious that the above described is a simple means for automatically transferring bags, and one wherein. the life of the ordinary mail pouch is materially lengthened. If desired, there may be but a single arm actuating rod 13, located intermediate the ends of the bar 8. It is also obvious that other changes or variations in the minor details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a bar arranged beside a track and extending parallel therewith an arm on a car adapted to pass beneath said bar, a standard, a hook on v the upper end of said standard, a supporting arm arranged on said standard and adapted to rest upon said car arm, the distance between said supporting arm and said hook being greater than that between said supporting arm and said bar, and means for moving said car arm downwardly, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a bar arranged beside a track and extending parallel therewith, an arm projecting from said car and adapted to pass beneath said bar, a standard, means for supporting. said standard upon said arm, a hook on said standard adapted to pass over and in close proximity to said bar, and an arm actuating member adjacent said bar and adapted to engage and depress said car arm to deposit said standard upon said bar, substantially as described.

3. In a device of theclass described, a bar arranged beside a track and extending parallel therewith, an arm mounted upon a car and adapted to pass beneath said bar, a standard, a hook at one end of said standard for engagement with said bar, arms projecting forwardly and rearwardly from said standard and directly above the path of travel of said car arm, spring members engaging normally the extremities of said standard arms, substantially as described.-

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a mail bag transferring mechanism, of a standard, a hook member at one end of said standard, anenlarged portion at the end of said hook, a cross bar at the opposite end of said standard, means on said bar for supporting the ends of a bag, forwardly and rearwardly projecting arms on said standard arranged inwardly from said hook end, leaf springs secured to said standard beyond said arms and normally engaging at their free ends with said arin extremities, and a ring on said standard for engagement with said springs, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car having an outwardly extending depressible arm, of a bar horizontally arranged beside the track in a plane slightly above that of said arm, a

trip arm adjacent said bar and arranged be- 15 low the same in the path traversed by the free end of said depressible arm, a bag standard supported below its upper end in upright position by said depressible arm, and a hook at the upper end of said stand- 20 ard adapted to engage said bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DELONA L. CALAHAN. lVitnesses:

J. A. WINTERMAT, K. A KEPPE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi. Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

